Category Archives: historical fiction

Today on the hop I’m featuring yours truly. 🙂 Today is release day for my third book, Tempting Mr. Jordan. I really love this book, which tells the story of Julia Tenwick (Jonathan’s little sister from Stirring Up the Viscount, all grown up). I hope you like it too! (And do scroll to the end of this post for a chance to win a Maine gift basket from me and Becky Lower!)

Tempting Mr. Jordan

After four unsuccessful London seasons, Lady Julia Tenwick despairs of ever making a love match. With spinsterhood looming on the horizon, she and a friend set sail for America on one last adventure. When her travels take her to northern Maine, Julia meets a reclusive but handsome artist, whose rudeness masks a broken heart Julia feels compelled to mend.

Still haunted by the betrayal and death of his pregnant wife two years before, Geoffrey Jordan is determined never to risk his heart again. Certainly not with the gorgeous and impetuous aristocrat who intrudes upon his small-town solitude, and is far too similar to his late wife to tempt him to take another chance on love.

But when Julia and Geoffrey find themselves united in a reckless plan to save Julia’s friend from ruin, they discover that temptation is impossible to resist.

Excerpt:

Cranberry Cove reminded her of home, her family’s estate in Durham, where ton rules were abandoned in favor of lazy days riding, reading, caring for her pets, or playing the piano. It occurred to her that she had not played in weeks. Her fingers itched to touch a keyboard, and she flexed her hands inside her calfskin gloves. She vowed to play soon. She thought she had seen a harpsichord in the drawing room of Maria’s enormous house.

Reaching the end of the little lane on which Maria lived, she took a right onto Main Street. It consisted of several houses similar to the one in which she was staying, so she turned left onto Maple Street, which was much more interesting. There was a green grocer, a bookseller, a milliner, a tailor, a blacksmith—everything one could want in a village. The streets were clean—much cleaner than London—and the air was crisp and fresh, even if it smelled ever so slightly of fish.

Julia was staring into the newspaper office—a badly written but oddly gripping tale about missing lobster traps was plastered to the window—when she was nearly knocked off her feet.

“Oh, I beg your pardon!” She managed to right herself, wondering why she should be the one to apologize. She looked up into the hooded eyes of Geoffrey Jordan, who held a book in one hand. “Mr. Jordan!”

“Lady Julia.” He reached out to steady her, the touch of his hand on her arm causing a charge to shoot up her spine. “Please forgive me. Are you hurt?”

“Are you in the habit of running over tourists on your streets?” She freed her arm, flustered by her own reaction, and busied herself with adjusting her hat. When she regarded Mr. Jordan again, he was smirking.

“No, just the ones who stop in the middle of the street,” he said.

Julia opened her mouth to retort, but he held up a finger to silence her. “Nevertheless, I am sorry. I wasn’t paying attention. And the scintillating prose of our local newspaper could halt anyone in her tracks.”

She laughed. “It is not The Times, to be sure.”

His lips quirked up at the tips in something approaching a smile. Julia thought she hadn’t seen him do that before and found it oddly entrancing. “Where are you headed, Lady Julia?”

She forced herself to look away from his lips. “Um. Nowhere in particular. I was in need of a walk after luncheon, so I thought I would explore a bit.”

“The Universalist church, just around the corner, is particularly beautiful, and you will need to sample lobster from the establishment run by the Maclays, on the pier. It will melt in your mouth.”

The way he looked at her as he made the remark made her own mouth dry. Her cheeks burned.

“Um. Yes. That sounds lovely.” She gazed down at her feet until she collected herself. Raising her head, she found herself caught in his sights. She swallowed nervously. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Jordan, I really must get back. Constance will be wondering where I’ve got to.” She brushed past him, her shoulder tingling at the contact with his arm.

“Lady Julia?” His tone was vaguely amused.

She stopped and turned to face him. “Yes, Mr. Jordan?”

His thin lips turned up at the corners again, and he pointed behind him. “I believe your house is that way.”

“Oh. Yes. Of course.” She willed herself not to stumble as she passed him, at least not until she’d cleared the corner.

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for this fabulous gift basket Becky Lower and I are offering. In addition to the items pictured, Becky is offering an ecopy of her new Wild Rose novella, Love’s in the Cards!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good morning, all! Welcome to Day 5 of the Winter Blog Hop. Today features the first visit from historical (and a few contemporaries) romance author, Becky Lower. Many authors are content with releasing one, maybe two, books per year. But Becky, who has the creative energy of most of the people I know combined, is releasing three this month. The first is a boxed set of her beloved Cotillion Ball series.

You’ll fall in love with the spirited Fitzpatrick family as they find romance in turbulent Civil War-era America. Raised to defy societal convention and follow their passions, these siblings’ rebellious hearts meet their matches. Settle in to enjoy these 10 tales of independent, passionate, and strong American heroines and heroes, set in the 1850s and 1860s. American history comes alive as each child in the family comes of age.

Hop over to Becky’s blog to read more about the Fitzpatricks, and stop by tomorrow to hear from author Landra Graf!

Today’s guest is Cynthia Blackburn, one of my critique partners from the Passionate Critters. Cynthia is celebrating a bunch of firsts this weekend–her first regency romance, her first self-published book, and her first book blast with me! 🙂 Her Regency romance, A Rogue of One’s Own, releases Sunday, December 4. Happy book birthday, Cyn!

A Rogue of One’s Own

Lady Georgina Pelham has accepted her fate. After one disastrous season, she knows she’s not ever going to be more than a wallflower, and her only chance for marriage is to allow her half-brother and stepmother to contract her to the highest bidder. But their choices are dreadful. If only she could find a husband who loved her instead of one who would treat her as if she didn’t exist.

Sebastian Raphael Martin Locksley, Earl of St. John, has a reputation as a rogue. He also has a mistress problem, because Miranda—his convenient of three years—took it into her head to introduce herself to his mother and sisters in front of everyone in the ton. It’s a social disaster for his sisters and especially for his family. He needs to save face and save his sisters’ chances to marry, and that means dismissing Miranda, something he’d rather not do.

So when the opportunity arises to escort Lady Georgie and make her appear appealing to eligible bachelors of her choosing, he realizes the gossip-mongers will focus on that instead of Miranda’s faux-pas. He’ll be able to keep his mistress, and Georgie will find a man of her own choosing. It’s the perfect solution for both of them. Until they start to fall in love…

Excerpt:

“And what sort of husband are you seeking, Lady Pelham?” Sebastian asked, not expecting her to answer.

But then, she lifted her face, and he caught his breath. She wasn’t even close to being an Incomparable by ton standards, but Lady Pelham had the biggest, most luminous eyes he’d ever seen. Framed with long, dark lashes, they were an unusual shade of blue that appeared almost lavender when the light hit them the right way. Like right now. He blinked, and so did she. “I’m not,” she said quietly. “Not really.”

“Oh, bosh. Yes, you are, Georgie.” Charlotte stamped her foot. “You need a husband. A good one, not one that Percy and Eudora pick for you. Why, you could end up with someone ancient!”

In “Georgie’s” eyes, Sebastian could read so many things. Tolerance, for one. Suffering, for another. Embarrassment. Annoyance. And love. She wanted to throttle Charlotte, he could tell, but because she loved her friend, she was allowing her to push her about this way.

Plus, she didn’t expect to succeed in her own quest for a mate. How he knew that, he didn’t know, but he was absolutely positive that Miss Georgina felt her friend was fighting a losing battle in her defense. Which was silly. She was perfectly lovely—it’s just that she needed to let herself… “Glow,” he murmured.

“I beg your pardon?” Miss Georgina murmured back.

“I—excuse me. I was just thinking aloud. Forgive me.” Of what he was thinking, he had no idea. Sebastian straightened his shoulders and cleared his throat. Damn spring in London. The fresh air was giving him fits of poetry, and worse–gallantry.

Cynthia Blackburn is better at writing than at taking selfies. Her favorite thing to write is romance. When she’s not writing, she can be found mucking out stalls for Horses Bring Hope, a non-profit organization, or mucking out the house for her three children, two dogs and one husband. A native of Rhode Island, she guzzles coffee (hot or iced), and enjoys haunting historical cemeteries and deserted local beaches.

Captain Marco Dante was captured and sentenced to hang two years ago, but he escaped before his punishment was carried out. Now he’s come back to the woman whose memory kept him alive those long months in prison. Arianne had been his grand passion, but he failed to see how much she meant to him until it was too late. Can he recapture her heart? Or has he lost her forever?

Arianne never imagined she’d see her notorious pirate lover again. Though her heart sings with joy at his return, she knows he hasn’t come back for her but for the treasure he left behind. She agrees to help him find it, but can her heart withstand one more adventure with him?

Excerpt:

“I have a life here now.”

“There’s nothing for you here. Your place is by my side. In your heart, you know ’tis true.”

She looked away, turning her gaze to the ocean’s waves pounding the beach with hypnotic rhythm. A few moments ago, she sat here, mulling over her life’s misfortunes and attempting to reach a decision about her future.

She pushed her bare toes into the grainy sand and stood, brushing the remaining sand that clung to her petticoats. In the silence of the crashing waves, she turned and walked away.

Inside, her heart bled. Yet, she deserved no better. Her life led to this heartache. That she walked away from this man now, after all this time only confirmed it.

“Arianne, you’re coming with me.”

His serious tone warned her of his intentions. She spun to face him, unsheathing her sword in time to block his attack. The sound of metal striking metal pierced the moonlit darkness. Her ears rang with the sound.

They stood, neither moving. She stared into his eyes. “You would take me by force?”

“Never by force,” his voice lowered to a growl. “You will come willingly.” And he smiled, that knowing one she hated.

She let out a howl of outrage and swung her sword. He easily blocked. They stepped a deadly dance of striking blades, until again they were trapped by heated gazes.

Her breathing was heavy, labored, filled with excitement. She looked at his lips, wanting to taste them but knowing she dared not. Her will was never strong around him. With one touch she might lose herself and want him again for forever. But that dream would never be achievable with Marco.

With him, she’d always be alone.

“Come with me, Arianne.”

“No.”

She pushed away and again they danced. Her feet moved lightly as she sprang, her petticoats swirling with each movement though she hoped they would not entangle her legs. Her arm swung with lithe movements as she fought. She equaled him with skill and grace. Each time their swords clashed, the noise pierced her soul. That she fought him was a testament to her determination to escape his tyranny over her heart. She could not succumb to him again.

As they battled, a sheen of sweat appeared upon his brow. The exposed skin of his chest glistened in the moonlight. His arms flexed as he swung his sword. His grace, his power, his energy seduced her.

Her heart pounded. Her skin ached to touch his. The heat in her lower regions grew to a fiery inferno. She trembled.

Again, they locked blades.

They stood a moment, staring. His gaze burned into her soul. She licked the salty sweat from her upper lip, and his eyes followed the movement with utter fascination.

He pushed their swords away. With his free hand, he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her tight against his chest. Arianne tilted her head to look into his eyes. The blue depths called to her, like the ocean’s waves licking at her feet. The yearning to go to him was too great. She hadn’t the will to fight.

Tricia Schneider is an author of historical, paranormal and gothic romance. Before the supernatural took possession of her pen, she worked for several years as Assistant Manager and bookseller at Waldenbooks. After the store closed, she turned to writing fiction full-time. She has written both short stories and full-length novels published by The Wild Rose Press, including her newest book, The Pirate’s Lady, and her historical paranormal romance series, The Merriweather Witches. Tricia is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives in the Pennsylvania coal region with her musician husband, their 4 young children and 3 rescued cats.

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with breathless anticipation–or possibly not–but finally, the time has come to reveal my beautiful cover for my third book featuring the Tenwick family.

Tempting Mr. Jordan is set six years after my first book, Stirring Up the Viscount, and features Jonathan Tenwick’s younger sister, Julia, all grown up.

After four unsuccessful London seasons, Lady Julia Tenwick despairs of ever making a love match. With spinsterhood looming on the horizon, she and a friend set sail for America on one last adventure. When her travels take her to northern Maine, Julia meets a reclusive but handsome artist, whose rudeness masks a broken heart Julia feels compelled to mend.

Still haunted by the betrayal and death of his pregnant wife two years before, Geoffrey Jordan is determined never to risk his heart again. Certainly not with the gorgeous and impetuous aristocrat who intrudes upon his small-town solitude, and is far too similar to his late wife to tempt him to take another chance on love.

But when Julia and Geoffrey find themselves united in a reckless plan to save Julia’s friend from ruin, they discover that temptation is impossible to resist.

So without further ado, here’s the cover, designed by cover artist extraordinare, Rae Monet:

Stay tuned for a release date! In the meantime, check out my Pinterest page for some of my inspiration for this book.

Happy Friday, kids! For Book Blast Friday (I know, I haven’t done one in a while), I’m doing a cover reveal for fellow Wild Rose historical author Tricia Schneider. Check out her gorgeous new cover for her upcoming release, The Pirate’s Lady!

Captain Marco Dante was captured and sentenced to hang two years ago, but he escaped before his punishment was carried out. Now he’s come back to the woman whose memory kept him alive those long months in prison. Arianne had been his grand passion, but he failed to see how much she meant to him until it was too late. Can he recapture her heart? Or has he lost her forever?

Arianne never imagined she’d see her notorious pirate lover again. Though her heart sings with joy at his return, she knows he hasn’t come back for her but for the treasure he left behind. She agrees to help him find it, but can her heart withstand one more adventure with him?

Tricia Schneider is a historical and paranormal romance author. Before the supernatural took possession of her pen, she worked for several years in a bookstore as Assistant Manager and bookseller. Now she writes full-time while raising her four young children and 3 rescued cats. She lives with her musician husband in the coal country of Pennsylvania.

So it’s been awhile since I’ve done an author interview, but I’m jumping back into the fray with a special Thursday edition of an interview with fellow Wild Rose author DeeDee Lane. DeeDee’s latest release, My Law Man, is a time travel novella set in the Old West. Welcome, DeeDee!

Hi Marin and All,

My name is DeeDee Lane and this month I’m releasing my third novella in the Slip in Time Series—MY LAW MAN, published by The Wild Rose Press. I live in Seattle, WA and I’ve been writing romance since 2010…I give myself that start date because that’s about the time I joined Romance Writers of America and made the commitment to write, publish, practice my craft, and hobnob with other romance writers. I was inspired to write this book by…well let’s just say one word…Phebe. This heroine was so clear to me from day one and I just loved putting her in odd situations to see how she’d get out of them and fall in love at the same time. So for this book I was definitely more of a “write by the seat of my pants” then usual. I did the basic plot because I want all of the Slip in Time books to have a similar format but then I just kind of let Phebe take over. Right now I’m working on the 4th book in this series, MY TRAVELING MAN, which is back from beta readers and in the final editing stage.

What book are you reading now? Well, I’m going to have to come clean and admit it’s NOT a romance novel! I know, I know…but I was in the King County Library and they advertised a book club meeting for a title they categorized as YA (Young Adult). The book is WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE by Maria Semple and it is a book I recommend without hesitation. I went to SeaTac airport recently and I swear to you I was looking around for Bernadette! This character is written with such vibrancy I was not only looking for her but wanted to find her. And yes, the book does take place in Seattle so there was some possibility in my mad searching…except Bernadette is a fictional character… oh well. Put it on your “must read” list…along with MY LAW MAN!

I love YA–I read it all the time in between romances. 🙂 If you had a superpower what would it be? I would be HEALING WOMAN, able to cure disease with a single touch. The Daily Planet would report me swooshing through the world to spread health and well-being. I’d wear a peach/pink sparkly cape, definitely NOT tights, and my superhero emblem would be a hand holding a heart. This is perhaps inspired by a dear friend I lost to ALS in September 2015, yes still grieving and no, still can’t believe she’s gone.

So sorry for your loss, DeeDee. I know many of us wish we could heal disease as well. What piece of advice would you give to an aspiring author? Give yourself goals and deadlines. If you do that now you’ll be prepared when publishers, agents, and contests give you deadlines. I’ve always done this somewhat but then I took romance writer, Cindy Kirk’s, workshop on “Writing Faster,” at the Emerald City Romance Writers Conference. I’ll probably never match her output but I was inspired to make my goals accomplishable and motivating. So right now my four day goal is to finish three blog entries for MY LAW MAN’s release and finish edits on MY TRAVELLING MAN.

Excellent advice! Anything else you’d like to share? Three things I love about living in Seattle: Rhododendrons in the spring, recycling and composting are required, dress code is casual except for top executives and going to the opera. Three things I don’t love about living in Seattle: Traffic on I-5 and pretty much all roads and highways, being far away from family in Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Texas. I’m a Seahawks fan until they play the Green Bay Packers–then it’s the Pack all the way.

Thanks, DeeDee! Best of luck with the new release!

My Law Man, by DeeDee Lane

Phebe Brooks is single, cynical—okay bitter—and fighting to stay out of jail by doing community service at the Cowboy and Western Museum. While cleaning a jail cell in the “Lawmen of the West” exhibit, Phebe slips back in time and into the arms of a man who resembles her first love, Rafe Morrow.

Newly hired as Eagle Rock’s sheriff, Rafe, a former sharpshooter in the Union Army, came west to start anew. This seems possible until his town is overtaken by a sassy female constantly complaining about wearing a dress and then a band of outlaws set on robbing the gold from an incoming stagecoach.

Can Phebe and Rafe cooperate long enough to save the town? For Phebe, it’s worth the risk. She’s determined to let go of past mistakes, get herself on the right side of the law, and have a future filled with love and passion.

Wishing all the fathers out there the happiest of Father’s Days. And because I am far too lazy today to write two blog posts, I will direct you to my post about Victorian fathers at Heart-Shaped Glasses. I hope you’ll take a moment to stop by.

I am not a fashion maven. I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, unless I’m wearing Chico’s Travelers Collection, which look stylish but feel like pajamas. (Need I say more?) I have one favorite pair of shoes for each season and I wear them until they fall apart, at which time I spend hours online looking for the exactsame pair. I almost never wear shorts because of my pasty white Cleveland legs, but the pair I don’t mind being seen in I bought in 1998. Seriously.

Despite my embarrassing anti-fashion proclivities, I am a writer of historical romance, and in the Victorian era, women of a certain class were very concerned with fashion. And if I am to write about them, I need to care about what they wore. Or at least how to get it off them. 😉

The Victorian era lasted from 1837 to 1901, and fashions changed drastically during that timeframe. And don’t even get me started on men’s facial hair–that is deserving of its own post.

In the 1830s, as at right, the ideal form was a long torso with a slim silhouette, so corsets were tight and movement was restricted. (Isn’t that an odd picture? The upper half seems oddly disconnected from the bottom, but I sometimes wonder if that’s how women felt…)

Starting in the 1840s, skirts became wider–the fuller the skirt, the more petticoats underneath, which was a sign of wealth. I love this relaxed portrait of Queen Victoria and her prince from 1841.

Illustration of cage crinoline from Punch, 1856

The 1850s saw the invention of bloomers, as well as the cage crinoline–a miraculous contraption that held the skirts out in lieu of a dozen petticoats, returning women to a comparative freedom of movement.

There is an adorable scene from Mrs. Gaskell’s Cranford in which a fancy cage from Paris is ordered for Miss Pole’s bird. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong type of cage. It’s just the first minute and again at about 3:45, but if you like BBC period programs, you have to watch the whole series–it’s delightful.

The 1860s saw skirts at their widest and waists at their narrowest–remember this scene from Gone With the Wind?

In the 1870s, skirts deflated quite a bit, hoops replaced by a flatter front and layers in the back, as in this painting by Pierre Auguste Renoir from 1874.

In the 1880s, the bustle was the dominant feature in women’s fashion (and the top hat for men) as seen in this 1883 painting by James Tissot.

The turn of the century brought us more masculine attire for women, the Gibson Girl–see the Sargent painting at right from 1903–outrageous hats, and the rise of haute couture.

Londoners in front of Harrods, 1909

There is far more to seventy years of fashion than I have the time, energy, or inclination to share here, but if you’re interested in learning more, click on the link for each decade above, and check out these sites for more information and lots more pictures: